Training | Mediterra Swim & Run

Faster Tempo = Easier Swimming?

by Coach Mat | 29 Nov, 2014

Could it actually be easier to swim at a faster tempo? Yes. This could be the case for some of you. To swim fast or swim far you are not looking for longest stroke or the fastest tempo – you’re looking for optimal combination of stroke length and tempo for...

Weight Training For Swimming?

by Coach Mat | 15 Nov, 2014

Recently a swimmer friend emailed me the link to this article and asked my perspective on it. Since it comes through an authoritative source (US Masters Swimming) it carries some weight in the minds of swimmers. The article is ” Strength and Size: Getting...

Mindfulness In/Out Of Water – Part 2

by Coach Mat | 19 Oct, 2014

Continuing from Part 1… I don’t claim that Total Immersion guarantees deliverance from these self-imposed emotional storms, but myself and so many others who I have met in the global TI community of swimmers have found our practice to greatly improve our...

Why Swim Symmetrical?

by Coach Mat | 11 Oct, 2014

Some weeks ago I had an email discussion with my TI Coach colleague Bernardo Blanco in Spain. We were discussing the asymmetry observed in certain elite swimmers, and whether we should imitate this asymmetry or practice a symmetrical stroke. Coach Bernardo was going...

How Much Drill Work?

by Coach Mat | 4 Oct, 2014

This question came up recently in the context of how we should go about training at home after swim camp (or workshop). So, I would like to elaborate here on the comments I made at camp… How much drill work should I do? Good question, but it is not easy to give...

Metrics In Open Water: How To Train

by Coach Mat | 20 Jul, 2014

For most swimmers who desire it training in open-water may still only be an occasional or seasonal experience. That means most swimmers practice in the pool, swimming and measuring things between walls – this is ‘normal’ while swimming without walls...